Egg carton



Au .,31, 1937'. F. TROYK 2,091,659

EGG CARTON l Filed Jan. 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 31, 1937. TRQYK 2,091,659

EGG CARTON Filed Jan. 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Au 31,- 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EGG CARTON Felix Troyk; Morris, [1]., assignor to Self-Locking Carton 00., Chicago, 11]., a. corporation of 11- linois The present invention pertains to cellular cartons of the type adapted for packaging eggs and other fragile articles and has particular reference to an improved type of cellular carton of divisible structure, whereby the carton may be employed for packaging a relatively large number of eggs as a unit and separated into two portions each containing a-lesser number of eggs;

It is customary to package eggs in fiber containers, generally of the 2 x 6 style, in which a blank is cut, scored and folded to form in a single unit two rows of six cells each. It often is desirable to merchandise eggs in quantities of one-half dozen rather than one dozen, and for this reason it has been suggested to provide means for dividing the carton into two sections.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide a divisible carton in which the central cross partitions forming the ends of the sections when the carton is divided, point and fold in the same direction.

A further object is to provide a divisible 2 x 6 carton in which an extra central cross partition is provided without the necessity for using substantially more stock than is customary in an ordinary 2 x 6 carton having no extra central cross partition.

A still further object is the provision of a divisible cellular carton having adjacent central cross partitions, all of them foldable into erect position in the same direction.

These and other objects will be observed upon consideration of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. 1 is a top view of a carton constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary lbngitudinal sectional View taken along line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view of a blank from which the carton shown in Fig. 1 is constructed;

Fig. 5 is a top view of a modified form of the carton;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 1-1 of Fig. 5; d I

Fig. 8 is a vie of the blank from which the carton of Fig. 5 is constructed.

In Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the carton is constructed by suitably cutting, scoring and folding a blank to form in the order named, a cover locking strip I0, 9. cover I l, a rear wall l2, a bottom section 3, a front wall l4, cross partitions 5 hinged to the front wall by triangular tabs I6 and an attaching strip |1 hinged to the opposite sides of the cross partitions by triangular tabs l8. The bottom of the carton is provided with a central score line and a series of openings I9 which extend in spaced relation along this score line. In manufacture, the attaching strip I1 is folded over and attached by gluing to the rear wall l2, as shown in Fig. 3.

The carton is provided with a weakened line 20 along its center by which the carton may be divided into separate units of 2 x 3 capacity. On

one side of the weakened line 20 is provided a central cross partition 2| and on the opposite side of the weakened line 20 is provided a second central cross partition 22, the two central cross partitions being in closely separated relation, as will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2. It will be observed that the lower portion of cross partition 22 is formed by cutting out the material of the cross partition 2| on each side of the center thereof.

The central portions of the cross partitions l5, 2| and 22 are provided with downwardly extending openings 23, and these openings are adapted to receive the attaching portions of a separate longitudinal partition 24. The longitudinal partition or center board is provided with cutaway openings 25 which extend downwardly beyond the openings 23 and the lugs 26 on the bottom of the longitudinal partition extend through openings IS in the bottom and maintain the latter in upwardly raised position in substantially the same manner as disclosed in Patent No. 1,992,192.

'I'he'longitudinal partition and cross partitions may be locked in position by pressing upwardly the tabs 21 which are struck from the bottom member adjacent certain of the openings I9. The longitudinal partition 24 is provided with a weakened line 28 along its central portion and in line with the weakened line 20 of the carton. When the carton is broken into two pieces the walls separate along the line 20 and the longitudinal partition separates along the line 24, the central cross partitions 2| and 22 then constituting the end cross partitions respectively of the severed sections.

To erect the carton from collapsed condition, the collapse generally being provided along a score line at the bottom of the front wall and a score line at the top of. the rear wall, the walls of the carton are pressed into substantially rectangular shape and the longitudinal partition or center board is pressed downwardly against the cross artitions in the usual manner of erecting this type of carton. Since all of the cross partitions extend in the same direction the carton may be erected in the usual manner. In instances where the cross partitions on opposite 5 sides of the center of the carton extend in opposite directions some difliculty is encountered in erecting the carton, due to the necessity of opposite rotation of the cross partitions. Also, after the carton is erected the cover may be 10 locked into the position shown in Fig. 3 in the usual manner, since all of the hooks 29 along the cover locking strip I extend in the same direction.

The central portion of the longitudinal parti- 15 tion is provided with a downwardly depending lug member 30 which is of substantially the same shape as two of the end lugs 3| placed together. The score line 28 extends down the center part of the lug 30 and when the carton is divided into 20 two sections the ends of the two sections each are provided with a member resembling the end lugs 3|.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. to 8 the carton is constructed of a single 25 piece of. paper board, the blank from which the carton is constructed being shown in Fig. 8. This blank is folded in much the same manner as described with respect to the carton shown in Fig. 1. The blank consists of cover locking 30 hooks 40, a top 4|, a rear wall 42, a rear bottom section 43, a rear longitudinal partition section 44, a front longitudinal partition section 45, a front bottom section 46, a front wall 41, cross partitions indicated generally at 48, and an at- 35 taching strip 49. The attaching strip is folded over and glued to the rear wall as shown in Fig. 7. The front and rear bottom sections 43 and 46 are cut so as to form tabs 50 which remain on the longitudinal partition section when the 40 carton is erected, thereby forming a support for the bottom section. In this embodiment of the invention the bottom section is provided with complementary longitudinal partition-forming sections 44 and 45, these sections being cut in 45 the manner shown in the blank to form the crosspartition receiving slots and hooks 5|, the latter being adapted to engage the upper portion of the cross partitions to maintain the bottom section in raised position. The longitudinal par- 50 tition-forming sections are provided with double cuts at the center of the carton and tabs 52 extend upwardly into the opening in substantially the same manner as shown with respect to the end tabs 53 to form braces for the central cross 55 partitions. The central cross partitions 54 and 55 are hinged adjacent each other at the center of the carton in substantially the same manner as described with respect to the carton shown in Fig. 1, and the carton blank is weakened along 60 its center line 56 to allow the carton to be broken into two sections, the cross partitions 54 and 55 forming the ends of the two sections. It will be noted that the longitudinal partition-forming sections adjacent the cross partitions 54 and 55 65 are not provided with hooks 5|, the hooks on the remaining cross partition being sufilcient to insure the carton remaining in erect condition.

The cross partition 55 is shown as including two spaced prongs 51 on opposite sides of the 70 center line of the carton, these prongs being cut out of the material of the cross partition 54, the latter retaining substantially its normal amount of material at the center of the carton.

Ordinarily, the carton will be collapsed by fold- 75 ing along the score line 58 at the center of the cross partitions and on the score line 59 which divides the longitudinal partition-forming sections. Another satisfactory method of collapsing the carton is to fold the longitudinal partitionforming sectionsinto the position shown in Fig. 7 and to collapse the carton along the score lines which Join the partitions to the bottom sections and the score line in the center of the cross par titions. In this position the tabs 50 extend outwardlyand afford a means for enabling the user to grasp the carton and to press the bottom into the proper position.

All of the cross partitions of the carton are rotated in the same direction in being folded from collapsed condition into erect condition and the cross partitions at the ends of the erected carton are maintained in proper position by means of the projections 53. Additionally, the longitudinal partition sections adjacent these end cross partitions are not provided with hooks 5|. In a 2 x 6 carton there need be only four sets of the hooks 5|, two of the sets being on each side of the center line of the carton. When the carton is broken into two sections the cross partitions 54 and 55 will form end cross partitions and these cross partitions will be maintained in position by the projections 52 without the aid 01' the hooks 5|. The projections 52 are separated by cuts, and these cuts join the perforated line 56 at the score line between the longitudinal partition-forming sections in the bottom of the carton.

It will be seen that the invention may be embodied in still further structures and these many permissible changes are intended to be included in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cellular carton of the type described, comprising a. blank cut, scored and folded to form a rear wall, a bottom, a front wall, cross partitions hinged to the front wall and extending in a horizontal direction when in collapsed condition, and an attaching strip hinged to the opposite side of said cross partitions and secured to said rear wall, two of said cross partitions being spaced apart a distance substantially less than the thickness of an egg and being rotatable into erect position in the same direction of rotation, the material for the lower portion of one of two said cross partitions being cut from the top of the other of said two cross partitions and said carton being weakened between said two cross partitions.

2. A carton of the type described, comprising front and rear walls, a series of cross partitions integrally connected to said walls and all extending in the same direction when in collapsed condition, two of said cross partitions being spaced apart a distance substantially less than the thickness of an egg and said walls being provided with a weakened line between said two cross partitions.

3. A carton of the type described, comprising front and rear walls, a bottom section folded upwardly along its central portion to form a ridge, a series of collapsed cross partitions integrally attached to said front and rear walls and all extending horizontally in the same direction, the central of said cross partitions being spaced apart a distance substantially less than the thickness of an egg and having parts extending downwardly on each side of the ridge of said bottom member, and means for maintaining said cross partitions in erect position,

said carton being weakened along a line between said central cross partitions.

4. A carton of the type described, comprising front and rear walls, a bottom section, a series of cross partitions hinged to said front and rear walls and rotatable into erect condition in the same direction of rotation, the central of said cross partitions being spaced apart a distance substantially less than the thickness of an egg and extending in the same direction, and a single separate longitudinal partition adapted to engage said cross partitions to maintain the same in erect condition, said carton and said cross partition being provided with weakened lines between the central of said cross partitions.

5. A carton of the type described, comprising a single blank cut, scored and folded to form a cover locking strip having a series of hooks extending in the same direction, a cover, a rear wall, a rear longitudinal partition section, a front longitudinal partition section, a front wall, cross partitions hinged to the front wall and rotatable into erect condition in the same direction of rotation, and an attaching strip hinged to the opposite side of the cross partitions, said longitudinal partition-forming sections having complementary cutout portions adapted to receive said cross partitions when the latter are in erect position and to provide hook portions for engag ing certain of the cross partitions and projections for engaging the cross partitions adjacent the ends of the carton, the central 0! said cross partitions being spaced apart a distance substantially less than the thickness of an egg and extending in the same direction when collapsed, and said carton having a weakened line between said central cross partitions.

6. A carton of the type described, comprising front and rear walls, bottom and longitudinal partition-forming sections joining said walls, adjacent central cross partitions rotatable in the same direction to form an erect container, at least a portion of the material at the rearmost of said adjacent partitions being taken from opposite. sides of the other of said adjacent cross partition, and additional cell-forming cross partitions having slots for receiving said sections, said sections being cut away to form projections for engaging the sides of said adjacent central cross partitions and the sides of the end cross partitions of the carton and other projections for engaging the tops of the remainder of said cross partitions, said carton being weakened along its center line.

FELIX 'IlR-OYK. 

